Behind the scenes at the Stockton Main Post Office on West Lane is a cavernous, brightly lit hive of activity where postal workers sort mail. And in a break room, a Christmas tree.

The tree is decorated with names and wish lists of children staying at Haven of Peace, a homeless shelter for women and children in French Camp.

One boy asked for a bicycle. By the tree stands the as-yet-undelivered bike, an orange Huffy. Postal worker Michael Ellerbee bought a matching orange helmet, too.

"If you're going to do it, you got to do it right," Ellerbee said proudly.

And why do it? "It's always worth it to see a smile on a kid's face," Ellerbee replied.

Employees of the Stockton Main Office adopted Haven this year after hearing a talk by the shelter's director. Brenda Castellanos explained that some women lost jobs and homes. Some let drugs ruin their lives. Others are battered.

In all cases, the children are faultless. But they lose their homes, their friends, their security.

Though lucky to be at Haven, they sleep in a big dormitory with other mothers and children. Most of the moms are on the rebound. None have money for Christmas presents.

To get the ball rolling, postal distribution clerk Tina Zarate-Bloxsom donated her Christmas tree to the break room.

"When we were younger," she recalled, "our parents kind of struggled. But we had a family. These kids don't know what the future holds. If we can do something for them, that's a good thing."

Mail carrier David Williams plucked a wish off the tree. A 5-year-old boy needed a jacket, shoes and pants.

"He said he liked Thomas the (Tank Engine), so I got him a Thomas the train - the mail express," Williams said.

A nice touch. "It just fit," Williams grinned.

Some postal workers wanted to share their good fortune.

"My husband and I have a thing where every day we do this act of kindness, like pay for the people behind us in line," clerk Lisa Mondragon said.

Others had known hard times.

"Having two children, there was a time in my past when a group of my friends expressed their giving to my family," rural carrier Kimberly Howard said. "God's blessed me with more hours, so it's kind of a 'pay it forward' thing."

Giving is a natural high. "Don't even have to be there to see it," Connie Vasconcellos said. "It just makes me feel good."

Mark Monteon: "It's the time of year to give, not to receive."

Out at Haven of Peace, the mothers were grateful for the kind strangers as only people with nothing can be.

Lindsay Jenkins is in a 6-month rehabilitation program. "I feel my prayers have been answered," Jenkins said. "I'm in awe that we get this."

Unique Randle, 20, said her children would have their first Christmas.

"Being a single parent, they never really have Christmas - be all surprised, go in there with presents wrapped under a tree - they never really had that."

Randle's daughter Malaya, 5, scampered up. Malaya said for Christmas that she wanted "a baby with a lot of stuff."

"Is Santa coming?" she asked. "What day?" When told the presents were to be delivered this week - 90 or so gifts from the 100 workers at the Stockton Main Post Office - Malaya smiled.

"Happy Christmas," she said.

"We not only deliver the mail," said Stockton Main Office manager Neil J. Gonzales, putting in a plug for the post office, "we also deliver the love and support to our community."